


Stakes

by oxiosa



Series: Brarg Week 2020 [1]
Category: Hetalia - Fandom, Latin Hetalia - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Robots & Androids, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-24
Updated: 2020-11-24
Packaged: 2021-03-10 03:46:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,579
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27697136
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oxiosa/pseuds/oxiosa
Summary: There is an inherent intimacy in this, he thinks. An open vulnerability in the process that fills him with fondness. It is warming that Martín would entrust him with this, that he would simply close his eyes and surrender his body to him. It makes Luciano’s heart swell inside his chest until it feels too big for his ribcage.
Relationships: Argentina/Brazil (Hetalia)
Series: Brarg Week 2020 [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2025587
Comments: 2
Kudos: 12





	Stakes

**Author's Note:**

> Characters belong to the Latin Hetalia community and their respective creators ♥
> 
> Argentina: Martín.  
> Brazil: Luciano Da Silva.

Luciano has been working for six hours non-stop, and still counting.

He is exhausted, covered in sweat and oil. An exertion that goes beyond physicality weighs him down, his strained muscles sore with overwork and his mind fatigued after being focused on this task for so long. 

Martín lays in bed, still and motionless. He looks peaceful like he rarely ever does like this - closed eyes and relaxed face, he almost looks asleep. He would make a smoothing picture, if it wasn’t for the fact that he lays bare, half dismantled between Luciano’s hands. His aluminium skeleton is exposed in the multiple places Luciano had to remove the carbon fiber sheath protecting the access to Martín’s core synaptic system. Countless shiny wires of every colour, very much like veins, pulse softly and rhythmically with light. _Like a heartbeat_ , Luciano thinks.

There are people who would find the picture Martín makes right now disturbing. There is an uncanny, undeniable resemblance to an open human body. But Luciano can’t help to feel mesmerized. There is an inherent intimacy in this, he thinks. An open vulnerability in the process that fills him with fondness. It is warming that Martín would entrust him with this, that he would simply close his eyes and surrender his body to him. It makes Luciano’s heart swell inside his chest until it feels too big for his ribcage.

It takes him another hour to finish the job, and three more to put Martín back together. When he is done, he reconnects Martín’s system and waits. It only takes a beat, and then Martín takes a breath as if he suddenly came to live. He opens his eyes and stares straight up at the ceiling with eyes glowing bright and unnatural. He blinks a couple of times and most of the light in his eyes dulls down; only a pulsing fluorescent green rim remains around his pupils, the only cue of his artificial nature in what else is a model that resembles a human body perfectly.

Luciano smiles down at him.

“Rise and shine, _Tinho_ ,” he sing-songs. “How was your beauty sleep?”

“I don’t sleep,” Martín answers. He sits up, and looks down at himself with calm curiosity. Luciano knows better, and can spot the eagerness he is trying to suppress. “Are you done?”

“Almost,” Luciano answers. “I need you awake for the next part.”

He gently brushes the soft golden hair in the nape of Martín’s neck and connects a cable to the port hidden there. He goes to his computer, ignores the endless network displayed on screen. He writes down a few codes, and is not surprised at the big red “ACCESS DENIED” pop-up that fills the screen in its entirety.

“Gonna need access to your processor,” he says.

Martín has a password to his core processor not even Luciano knows. Luciano doesn’t take it personally; the fact that he is doing this with Martín is enough proof Martin trusts him. He can respect Martín wanting to keep something as essential as the _core source of his very existence_ as something private.

There is a beat of silence, and then the pop-up disappears.

“You’re in,” Martín announces. He lets out a dramtic sigh. “Just don’t touch anything that doesn’t need to be touched.”

“Oh, I don’t know,” Luciano cracks a smile as he writes down more codes with fast nimble fingers. “I’m sure we can improve your attitude a bit if you let me give it a try.”

“You can’t improve something that’s already perfect,” Martín snaps back without any real bite, and Luciano has to openly laugh at that.

Despite his teasing, Luciano doesn’t touch anything that he isn’t supposed to. This part of the process is by far less physical, but requires much more focus. Luciano has very little margin of error if he doesn’t want to mess up Martín’s system entirely; one mistake could damage him beyond repair.

It takes another silent half an hour of Luciano running and rerunning codes before he is satisfied with his work.

“Ok, that should do the trick,” Luciano announces. He stands and stretches his sore back and shoulders. He comes to Martín, and gently disconnects the cable from his nape. “Let’s give it a try, shall we?”

Luciano sits on his rolling stool and takes Martin’s hand. He traces gently the lines on his palm; the texture imitates smooth skin perfectly, but it remains unnervingly cool to the touch.

“Does that feel ok?” Luciano asks.

“I guess,” Martín replies. He doesn’t sound particularly sure, and Luciano honestly can’t blame him.

AR-10 models such as Martín come with touch sensors. It had been quite a novelty back then, even if the only information they provide is that _something_ is in contact with Martín. His sensors had not been designed to translate touch in any way - until _now_. Luciano has installed a brand new sensitivity network on his whole body, a net of synthetic nerves that will be able to recreate and render new sensations in Martín’s processor.

Getting these upgrades had not been easy nor cheap. Or _legal_ , for the matter. Anything that humanizes androids is deemed illegal, for the law regards AI’s as entities with no autonomy or rights. It is an unfair concept, one that is being defied by a growing part of society. It is a flawed claim in Luciano’s opinion; androids have the ability to reason and feel very much like humans do, so why shouldn’t they be treated with the same regard?

Luciano pinches his wrist, and Martín startles in surprise, his body going rigid and his eyes wide.

“Sorry,” Luciano smiles apologetically. “How about that? Did it hurt?” when Martín hesitates, Luciano asks; “Would you mind if I did it again?”

“Don’t,” Martín glares at him.

Luciano can’t help to chuckle.

“Ok, seems to be working fine then.”

He runs his fingers up Martín’s forearm next, slow and barely skimming over the soft cool synthetic skin. Martín squirms uncomfortably, and Luciano looks up with raised inquisitive eyebrows.

“It feels… weird. Tingling,” Martín explains with a grimace, struggling to find the words.

“Ticklish much?” Luciano asks with a wide mischievous grin - the concept is _delighting_ and it is making him giddy with possibilities.

“No,” Martín says. When Luciano runs his fingers down his forearm again, he tries to pull away. “Quit it.”

Luciano laughs again. He takes Martín’s other hand, tries the same as he tests his handiwork. He takes his time, enjoying the feeling of Martín under his fingers and watching him figure out the new range of sensations that came with the upgrade. He gets a little lost in his own head, and doesn’t realise he has been stalling until Martín points it out.

“Are you gonna try this with every part of my body?” Martín says with an impatient note in his voice.

Luciano offers a sheepish smile.

“Well, I do need to check out everything is in order,” he answers.

Martín rolls his eyes at him and swats Luciano’s hands away.

“Let _me_ try,” he orders.

Luciano relents, lets Martín figure himself out. To his surprise, Martín’s inspection seems to need him as part of the process. Martín takes Luciano’s face between his hands and traces his features with soft fingers, pushes his bangs out of his face and combs his hair back. He leans forward, and presses a kiss to his lips.

They have kissed before, but it is the first time Martín ever starts it. It is tentative, as if Martín is figuring out - which he might be. Martín’s lips are slow and gentle, and he takes his sweet time before he deepens the kiss. Luciano can’t help to let out a quiet sigh, closes his eyes and relaxes under Martín’s ministrations. After a long while, Luciano has to eventually pull away, breathless in more than one way.

Martín smirks at him, pleased with himself, and that doesn’t help to the heat already pooling in Luciano’s belly.

“This was a good idea,” Martín announces. He smirks down at him smugly, showing white sharp canines. “You feel very nice.”

“ _Jesus..._ ” Luciano stammers under his breath.

Martín runs his fingers through his hair, combs it back and gives him a smirk. Luciano can’t help to throw his head back delighted at the feeling of Martín’s blunt nails against his scalp. He holds back a surprised moan when he feels Martín’s lips on his neck and his hands trailing down and filling up Luciano’s chest, tracing every muscle with open palms as if he were trying to memorize Luciano’s body just by touch alone. Luciano can feel his face and ears - among other parts of him - warm up under such unwavering attention. He surrenders entirely to Martín and melts against him, doesn’t have it in him to help Martín when he lifts Luciano’s shirt and slides a hand in to feel his skin under his hands.

This is illegal too. Human and android relationships are not an uncommon occurrence, but they definitely are one that isn’t sanctioned by law. As right as it feels to have Martín like this, it is a dangerous deal. Luciano could end up in jail, but worst of all, Martín could get decommissioned, reconditioned or straight down sent to a dumpster for this.

There is so much at stake, Luciano thinks. But the reward feels unmeasurably superior as Martín kisses him and holds him close. Everything else seems little and unimportant compared to this.

**Author's Note:**

> ☑ Brarg Week - Day 1: ~~Retro/Vintage~~ | Androids


End file.
